Omaha daily bee., 1887-09-22
Labor's Battle in New York.


board as it is arranged at present which
is commanding more interest than that
occupied by the labor party, or more cor
rectly parties, in New York, for there
are two organizations, the one of which
Henry George is the leader and the other
composed of the socialists who have
taken the title of the progressive labor
party. Both are engaged in vigorous
campaign work, the former being
especially active. The effect of the efforts
of the united labor party will be felt by
the two political parties, and the move
ments of that party are consequently of
leading interest and Importance. The
efforts of the socialists are being
directed to weakening the influence of
the regular labor party, and in this they
are supposed to have the advantage of
the counsel and the substantial assistance
of the democracy. 1t is clearly recog-
nized that the contest between the polit-
ical parties IN New York this fall will be
largely determined by the number of
votes which the labor movement shall
draw from them.
This keeps the political eye wide open
w Ahh n SNOhJ oeOp III Viz pAOeiOoo VA GAO
movement, and computation active in tho
effort to figure out probable results
The basis of computation, so far
as New York city is concerned,
which is the arena of the contest beyond
which the politicians are not greatly con-
cerned, Is the vote of 6S,000 received by
Henry George last year. Will he receive
an equally large vote this year, and if
not to what extent will it be reduced?
Investigation has shown that of the vote
of last year the socialists supplied nearly
10000, while Irving Hall democrats are es-
timated to have furnished about G, ,000 The
latter certainly can be omitted from any
estimate for George, and if it be assumed
that he will be deserted by the entire So
cialist element, that would leave the
united labor party with q presumable
strength at present in New York city
OF about $4,000. 1t is not be-
| lieved, however, by so we'll.
informed judge as Mr.. John Swinton,
to be so great as this. This close and
| deeply interested observer of the move
ments of labor estimates that the effect
of the socialist detection will be much
greater upon the George vote than is in.
dcated by the figures given as the So
cialist vote last year. and he cites numer-
Gus other reasons for the opinion that the
support of George in New York city this
year is likely to prove as surprisingly
small as that of last year was astonsh.
ingly large. Nevertheless he thinks it
not unlikely that the ross labor vote OF
the city may be as large next November
as it was last, so that whether George
gets his full former vote or much less, the
lumber to be deducted from the political
parties will not be reduced.
Outside of the city of New York the
labor vote is not expected to be very
important factor. 1t IS not deemed of
sufficient consequence, in its relations to
the political parties, to be subject of
estimate. The best Judgment, however,
may very easily 60 astray in this matter,
and it would not be surprising if the
labor of the inferior cities exhibited q
much greater interest IN the present con-
test than it Is now gwen credit for. But
the battle ground is Manhattan island,
and there the politicians, and particu-
larry the democrats, are finding
the subjects for their closest atten.
ton and greatest interest. The swell
ing of the ranks Of labor there means 9
decrease in the forces of the two
political parties, but 90 per cent Of
1t comes from the democracy. This Is
why the democratic leaders, including
even the governor Of the state, are taking
deep and active interest in the labor
movement, though not in the way oi
quoting dlssensions and promoting har
mony; and why, on the other hand, the
republicans are not Withholding encour
agemept from the efforts Of Mr.. Georg
and his associates.